We entered two teams in the Rotary Club Public Speaking Competition at Towers School in Ashford last week. The Intermediate Team, made up of three Upper Fourths, had to speak on the subject of ‘Is CCTV in public places an invasion of our privacy?’. The Senior Team, made up of three Fifths, had to speak on the subject of ‘Should we positively discriminate for people with disabilities?’. Each team had to speak for 15 minutes (five minutes per student). Both teams did exceptionally well and our Senior Team (pictured below) did so well they won and are through to the next round – where all the winners from the South East will go head-to-head. If they get through this they will be into the national stage of the competition.
Then the following evening three girls went to Canterbury for the second round of the ESU Mace Competition. They argued strongly on the motion ‘This House regrets the commercialisation of Pride’. Whilst they narrowly missed out on a place in the Regional Final (by just three points), they should be very proud of their achievements in getting this far in their first ever debating competition.